Hypoglycemia imitating cardiac ischemic symptoms A case report and review of literature

Abstract

Ischemic heart disease is the most common cause of mortality in all low and high-income countries. Diabetes mellitus is also a major public health challenge increasing rapidly worldwide and is reported as an equivalent to coronary heart disease (CHD) in some studies. Hypoglycemia is a common complication in diabetic patients that can stimulate the sympathetic nervous system in its severe form, eventually leading to the destabilization of atherosclerotic plaques and cardiovascular events. Therefore, preventing hypoglycemia is crucial in diabetic patients, especially those with a previous history of CAD, in order to prevent cardiovascular events. In this study, we report a diabetic patient presented with multiple hypoglycemic episodes and chest pain.